


To Be Human

by EleanoraMcKogane



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Bisexual Lance (Voltron), Cuban Lance (Voltron), Eventual Keith/Lance (Voltron), Gay Keith (Voltron), Hurt Keith (Voltron), Hurt Lance (Voltron), Keith & Lance (Voltron) Friendship, Keith (Voltron) Angst, Keith (Voltron) is Bad at Feelings, Keith (Voltron) is a Mess, Keith/Lance (Voltron) Angst, Lance (Voltron) Angst, Lance (Voltron) is a Mess, Lance (Voltron)-centric, M/M, Socially Awkward Keith (Voltron)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-22
Updated: 2019-03-22
Packaged: 2019-11-28 01:45:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,099
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18201812
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EleanoraMcKogane/pseuds/EleanoraMcKogane
Summary: When Keith saves a little girl his emotions come to the surface. And Lance is there to catch him when he falls.





	To Be Human

**Author's Note:**

> A small angsty drabble because I like to write sad stuff.

Lance watched as Keith calmly rocked the orphaned two-years girl back and forth on his lap. Never stopping, never hesitating and never letting go.

He hummed a melody that filled the silence of the hospital room. It was familiar to Lance but he couldn't place it in his memories. He was too focused on the breathtaking scene before him.

They had rescued the poor child from the debris of a fallen building, her family unfortunately long gone before the walls had cave in. The attack had been unexpected and bloodied, destruction reigning over a once prosperous planet now turned to cinders.

Keith had been the first to hear the cries, muffled by the cracking of still active fires around them and by the rubble that almost crush her. It was a heartbreaking wail, one that led Keith to dig through the debris until his fingers were numb, to fight the weight of the fallen walls until his strength faltered him.

When it did, Lance had been there to continue his work, frantically searching alongside Keith for the child whose cries made their hearts bleed.

When they finally found her, Keith cradle her protectively in his arms, tears streaming down his face abundantly. She held onto him tightly like he was her lifeline, crying on his chest as he carried her to the hospital, Lance accompanying them with a heavy heart.

Keith hadn't left her side since, always hovering over the doctors to steal a peek at her, yelling at the nurses as he demanded to know what was happening. He had taken upon himself to watch over her like a guardian angel.

And all Lance could do during that time was simply be there for Keith and sooth him down with quiet comforting words he hoped, prayed, wished were true.

For the little girl. For him. For _Keith._

Lance knew that Keith's heart bled for the child, sympathised with her unfortunate fate as her entire family perished at the hands of the Galra.

He had seen the shadow of Keith's past looming over him, portentous and gloomy. Had seen how he looked down at his now bandaged hands, spasms of panic attacking his body. Lance had witnessed Keith's breakdown when they quietly spoke in the waiting room, how his childhood tormented him and how much pain he had to go through. Alone. With no mother. No father. No-one to hold him.

And Lance had wanted to hold him then, to tell him that he wasn't alone anymore, that the whole team was there for him. That he was there for him. They, the team were his family, he was his family now and he no longer had to suffer alone.

Lance was there for him. And would always be.

He had wanted to tell him that so much, to help alleviate his burden and to wipe his tears of grief.

Lance wanted to say _I lov-_

But he didn't have had the time to fully form the sentence and express his feelings for a doctor had finally come for Keith with news of the little girl. And Lance snapped out of it, remembering that right now wasn't the time for declarations or proclamations but a time to simply be there.

For Keith. For the little girl they rescued. That Keith rescued - Lance had merely been the strength when Keith's failed.

He had stood to the side listening to the doctor, had feared the words he would say and, had silently prayed to whatever gods were listening to save the little girl. If Keith were to lose her, Lance wasn't sure he would recover.

And, call it selfish of him or not as it is but he didn't want to lose Keith.

Now he watched the way Keith played with her little chubby fingers, a smile Lance had never seen saddening his expression. They both knew Keith couldn't stay, couldn't keep her and it shown in the way he held her in his arms, a precious treasure he wasn't ready to give up.

 _Not now._ _A l_ _ittle longer._

Until a nurse came in and Keith reluctantly allowed her to take the girl from him, his lips quivering as they parted ways.

As they disappeared out of the room, Lance watched as a ragged breath shook Keith's body, his composure faltering and his mask of self-possession slipped.

Keith didn't even flinch or snapped when Lance entered the room and quietly sat down next to him. A shoulder bumping against Keith's in a sympathetic way.

Lance couldn't imagine what it felt like to lose someone, his soul not yet tainted by the grief of loss. But he knew what it felt like to watch those he cared about hurt and in pain, knew what it was like to feel impotent and helpless.

And he wanted to take that burden from Keith. Wanted to carry it for him so he could finally feel what it was like to have someone who truly cares for him. Wanted him to feel the warmth he had given to that little girl when he whispered words of comfort and held her in his arms.

“She's alive because of you,” he said instead.

It was enough to at least steal a quick smile from him but also to open the scars of Keith's pain he had kept locked inside for so long now. It came out like a hurricane, thundering over him.

So Lance put his arm around Keith and patiently let him pour his own losses out, to drain his sorrow as Lance absorbed it from him. He gave him his warmth and shared his heart so it would be much more bearable for him.

In the end, Keith opened to him and held tightly onto Lance just like the girl had held onto Keith. He found himself humming the same melody as Keith, suddenly remembering where he had heard it; it was a song his mother used to sing to him when he was sad and Lance had the habit of humming it whenever he was homesick.

Keith had hummed _his_ song.

All Lance could do was to provide Keith with as much love and care as he could. To always be there to catch him when he falls and to lift him up when he needs his wings. To carry his burden and protect him from hurt. To open his heart and let him nestle there, where Keith belonged, until his soul was finally free from the shackles of its past and allowed him to finally be human again.

To be _his_ Keith again.


End file.
